Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency: Speech Language Pathologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Education and Experience: A master's degree, or its equivalent, in speech-language pathology, communication disorders or a directly related field from an accredited college or university and one year of creditable experience (see below)
• or Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
• A doctoral degree in speech-language pathology, communication disorders and sciences or a related field, from an accredited college or university
• Licensure: Individuals must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license in a United States state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: Supervisory Speech-Language Pathologist, GS-14 Experience: In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-13 level, completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower level
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill to translate management goals and objectives into efficient service operations
• Skill in providing clinical and administrative oversight of service operations within complex facilities and/or multiple sites
• Skill in conflict resolution to facilitate positive working relationships between employees, team leaders and management
• Ability to effectively collaborate with local, VISN and national leadership
• Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Service chiefs at this level are responsible for managing a unified audiology and speech-language pathology service or equivalent organizational unit in a large, complex or multi-site medical center
• They ensure that services provided are of high quality and are consistent with contemporary and evidence-based clinical practice
• In providing direction for a specialized and complex service-level department, Service chiefs formulate objectives and priorities and implement plans consistent with the organization's long-term interest, capitalizing on opportunities and managing risks
• Service chiefs must demonstrate active problem and conflict resolution skills and maintain effective interdepartmental relationships to accomplish the medical facility's mission and goals
• Service chiefs manage budgets, determine resource needs, allocate resources and ensure appropriate service productivity, 15 efficiency and cost-effectiveness
• They perform supervisory duties such as preparing personnel actions, performance management
• planning, scheduling and assigning work
• managing leave
• assessing competencies
• appraising performance
• and recommending clinical privileges or scope of practice
• Service chiefs ensure orientation and training programs are established for staff development and oversee academic affiliations, internship and fellowship programs
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range is a GS-14
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.